Air separator



Jan. 8, 1929'. 1369836? .13., w. DREISBAQH AIR SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 22, 1,927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hyi.

N V INVENTOR 2 a #1 lbw/M ATTORNEY Jan. 8, 1929.

J. DREESBACHI AIR SEPARATOH v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed. Sept. 22, 1927 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 8, 1929.

J. w. DiREISBACH AIR SEPARA'IOR Filed Sept. 22, 1927 3'Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTbR ATTORNEY Patented a... s, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOHN W. DREISBAOH, OF GOLCONDA, ILLINOIS.

AIR SEPARA'IOB,

Application filed September 22, 1927. Serial No. 221,384.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in air separators for coal, limestone and other materials, the peculiarities of which will be hereinafter described 6 and claimed.

The main objects of my invention are to provide means for intermittently sealing'the outlet of the deposited tails from a chamber subject to air suction, thereby increasing the vacuum therein temporarily; secondly, means to facilitate the separation of the finer from the coarser particles by whirling mechanical impact imparting a higher cyclonic velocity to the heavier than to the finer particles; thirdly, to change their direction and drive them out of the normal path of the air currents carrying the finer particles; and fourthly, means to seal temporarily the outlets of coarse andmedium tails respectively.

In the accompanying drawings on which like reference numerals indicate correspond.

ing parts, Fig. 1 represents a central vertical section of a separator exemplifying my invention; Fig. 2, a horizontal plan view on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detail end view of a lifting blade, a scraper and mounting; and Fig. 4, a horizontal plan view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The pulverized coal or other material to be separated is fed through a feeding valve 5 and spout 6 delivering near the center of the top 7 of a closed cylindrical casing 8 in which is centrally mounted a vertical shaft 9, rotated at suitablespeed (such as 100 R. P. M.) by bevels 11 and 12, or otherwise from a source of'power. A horizontal rotary disc 13 about four-fifths the area of the top, is keyed to said shaft below the top of the casing and forms a rotary table to receive and spread outward over its periphery the feed from said spout. Directly below this table is located a closed drum 14 of approximately the same diameter as the table and about onefourth the height of the casing, and supported by cross bars 15, or otherwise, so it is fixed. An annular space 16 forming an expansion passage is thus left between the drum and casing for the passage downwardofthe feed after it leaves the table. Depending from the bottom of said drum is a two-part cylindrical apron 17 having its lower section 18 slidably adjustable on the upper section, preferably by Wires over pulleys 19, operated by cranks 20 with ratchet and pawl connections.- This apron leaves a wider annular space 21 (about one-third wider) than the annular space 16 above, to allow further expansion and separation of the feed particles as they fall.

Within said depending apron is located a tub-like chamber having cylindrical sides 22,

preferably beveled inward at the lower corner 23 where they meet the bottom 24, supported by cross bars 25 or otherwise. An annular passage space 26 of about the same width as the space'21 is thus formed inside the said apron and of about the same depth. A collar '27 of the same diameter as the tub 22, depends from the drum 14, and of a length about the wldth of the space 16. Between its lower edge 28 and the upper edge 29 of the tub is a space about half the depth of the collar 27,

through which the feed particles that are .me-

dium and finer, are drawn into the tub chamber after passing'upward in the annular space 26, under air suction produced by an exhaust fan or other means (not 'shown) connected to a pipe 30 passing through thesides of the easmg and drum, and having a downwardly extending elbow 31, centrally enclosing the shaft, and provided with a telescoping sleeve est probable adjustment of the lower edge 36 of the circular apron dividing the annular spaces 21 and 26. The bottom 24 has an outlot 37 for the medium tails deposited in the tub chamber as will now be described.

A rotary disc 38, located inside the tub i chamber near the bottom, is keyed to the central shaft 9, and extends outward nearly to the sides of the chamber so as to leave a small space 39 (about 11 according to the materials) between its periphery and the preferably beveled sides of said chamber like a false bottom. Discharging scrapers 60, substantially radially mounted, are provided on the underside of said disc and travelling just above the bottom 24, to discharge the medium tails through said outlet 37. The separation of the medium from the finer particles in the stream entering the tub chamber over the upperedge 29, is assisted by a rotary device consisting of forwardly inclined blades 40, acting in a plane between the tub edge 29 and the fines outlet pipe 32, and thus in the path of the annular stream converging at the fines outlet.

The outer ends of these blades are preferably "connected by a band 41, forminggg'ertical dcd are .sup-.

flectin wall. The blades and ported by posts 42 from the disc 38 or otherwise so as to rotate .withthe disc, and shaft. The'sie blades strike the particles and by the impact, drive them downward and outward with whirling cyclonic force that aflects the heavier particles'more than the lighter finer particles, and drives the former fwhirlin against the inside wall of 'the'chamber an downward to the top-and periphery ofthe disc 38, through the annular space 39 into the path of the scrapers 60. The finer lighter articles havin less mass, are less afiect .by

the impact said blades, and are whirled into the vortex and drawn out the pi 30.

Near the bottom of the casing below the tub chamber, is another rotary d1sc43, preferthe tails pass below and are discharged by substantially radial scrapers 46 into an outlet pipe 47. In said'wall 45 above the disc 43,

are a series of openings 48 communicatin with a circular ipe chamber 49 supplle with return air y the pipe connectlon 50 (Fig. 2) to the blast side of an exhaust fan or elsewhere. At the forward edge of each air inlet 48 is a wing wall 51 inclined towards the encircling stream of air and of increasing length around the pipe chamber, to deflect proportionate quantities of the air current through the ad acent openings 48. The a1r currents through the said openings 48 assist in cleaning the tails driven upward by the said blades 52 past said openings. ThlS encirclin return air chamber may be dispensed with, i desired. A shelf 53 projectin from the inner wall of the casing, is formed y the top of the air chamber or otherwise, extending below the adjustable apron 18, and above the said encircling wall 45. On this shelfare deposited the primary tails from the annular space 21, as indicated, from which they flow past the air currents from'the open- .in 48 and upon the said rotary disc 43.

ow the operation of this separator is as follows: The pulverized material from the valvular feeder enters the top of the casing nearthe center of the revolving table and is spread outward in a thin stream as it flows over the edge and downward in the annular expanding passages 16 and 21. The coarsest heaviest particles lodge on the shelf 53 or flow of, while the medium and finer particles pass under the lower edge of apron "18, up-

ward in the annular space 26, over the top whirlin blades 40 inside the vertical band 41.

The me iumarticles are thrown outward and downwar to the rotary disc 38, while the fines are-drawn outof the vortex through the central adjustable pipe 32, which is lowered to obtain coarser product through the pipe 30, and raised to obtain finer product.

-- As the medium tails collect above and below the periphery of the disc 38, the space 39 is temporarily sealed, but the scrapers alternate ydischar e the accumulated tails through the out et 37, whereupon these medium particles (together with the primary tails from the shelf 53) fall upon the disc 43 and seal temporarily the space 44 till the scrapers 46 discharge the accumulation to the outlet 47. This intermittent sealing action at the discs increases the vacuum for the moment and causes a pulsating, throbbing action of the air currents carrying the particles,

which assists in se ara tion of the tails. In

actual operation 0 my separator, the tails flow from the spout 47 in a continuous stream at the beginning of o eration, but as the feed increases, the disc arge of the tails is bunched in rapidly occurring sequence, due to the intermittent sealing action above described.

It will be noted that the annular expanding spaces 16 and 21 are practically dead air spaces, and facilitate the primary separation of the pulverized feed as it descends to the bottom edge of the apron, and is then drawn upward in the space 26 and into the tub chamher for further separation of medium particles. r

I have recently demonstrated by actual commercial operation of my separator that I can obtain various grades of finished product as desired, by appropriate adjustment of the parts as above described.

1. A separator comprising a casing, subject to air I suction, a vertical rotary shaft centrally mounted therein, walls forming an interior tub chamberv with annular side inlet near the top and having a bottom tails outlet, a rotary disc mounted on the'shaft over said tails outlet and provided with scrapers below and forming a alse bottom adapted. to be sealed by tails at its periphery, an exhaust pipe depending in said chamber for fines outlet, and rotary im act fan blades inclined forward and mounte in the path of the material from the side inlet to the finesoutlet.

2. A separator comprising a cylindrical casing subject to air' suction,a vertical rotary shaft centrally mounted therein, walls forming aninterior tub chamber with annular side 1n et near the top and having a tails outlet in the bottom, a rotary disc provided'with scrapers below over said. tails outlet mounted 3. A separator comprising a cylindrical casing subject to air suction, a vertical rotary shaft centrally mounted therein, walls' forming an interior tub chamber with annular side iiilet near the top and having a bottom tails outlet, a rotary disc having scrapers below over said tails outlet mounted on said shaft and forming a false bottom in said chamber, an exhaust pipe to the outside pro vided with an adjustable sleeve centrally depending in said chamber for fines outlet,

.rotary impact blades inclined forward and mounted in the path from the side inlet to the exhaust pipe and provided with an encircling deflecting band on their outer ends, and supportin posts from said disc, substantially as descn ed.

4. A separator comprising a cylindrical casing subject to air suction, a vertical rotary shaft centrally mounted therein, walls forming a central tub chamber with annular side inlet near the-top and having its lower corner beveled and a tails outlet in the bottom,

rotary deflecting and scraping devicesmount-' ed in said chamber, a rotary disc mounted on said shaft below said. chamber having blades inclined backward for lifting the tails from said chamber past the said beveled corner and provided with scrapersblow travelling over a tails outlet in the cas' and an encircling vertical wall at the perlphery of said disc, substantially as described.

5. A separator comprising a cylindrical casing subject to air suction having a top inlet near the center, a vertical rotary shaft centrally mounted therein, a rotary feed table in the to of said casing, a closed drum below said tab e forming with said casing an annular ex ansion passage, an exhaust pipe located 1n said drum passing out through the from said casingbelow said apron drum and casing and having a vertical elbow depending below said drum provided with an ad ustable sleeve,-walls forming a central tub chamber having an annular side inlet near the top below said drum and communicating with said exhaust pipe and having a tails outlet in thebottom, a rotary false bottom with scrapers in saidchamber, a mechanical 0 clone device rotatably mounted in said ciamber, and an adjustable circular apron depending from the bottom of said drum and located between the casing and the side walls 7 of said chamber.

6. A separator comprising a cylindrical casing subject to air suction having a feed inlet near the center, a vertical rotary shaft centrally mounted in said casing, a rotary table lelow said inlet mounted on said shaft, a closed drum below said table forming with said casing an annular vertical expansion passage, a depending circular apron below said drum but of lesser diameter forming with the casing a larger amiular vertical expansion passage and provided with a telescoping end section, a shelf projecting inwai'ld wa s forming an interior tub chamber located below said drum, an exhaust pipe outside the casing communicating with said chamber, and rotary discs mounted on the shaft with deflecting blades above and scrapers below located in said chamber and below said chamber respectively, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. A separator comprising a cylindrical disc with air openings above the disc, substantially as described. 7

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature. 7

JOHN W; DREISBACH. 

